Warriors: Cats of the Swamp Lands Book 1
The Kit of Moonhigh Prologue A dark grey she-cat sits in a black void looking around. "I am ready StarClan, please share with me your knowledge," she said speaking to the darkness. One cat, a golden tabby tom cat came out of the darkness his pelt glowing like the stars. "Poolstar!" The she-cat a bit of happiness in her voice. "A cat strong as stone will do battle with the kit of moonhigh, the swamp will taste blood and the briar will become unraveled." Poolstar said. "I don't understand, it is against the warrior code for warrior to harm a kit. And the Brair will become unraveled?" The she-cat asked in confusion stepping one paw forward. "Crowstar." Poolstar mewed sitting down. "BriarClan is looking well as ever, continue to lead them with the strength and knowledge I taught to you. Farewell" The cat disappeared and crow star woke up to a paw poking her. "Crowstar wake up, the newest kit was born just a few toad croaks ago" A black tom cat with a light grey muzzle and paws crept from under the Brair fence leading to the leader's den. "But....its....moonhigh." Crowstar said remembering what Poolstar said to her. "The Kit of Moon High!" Crowstar padded across the muddy ground to the nursery. Her clan mates moved aside to let her in. A black and white kit laid next to its mother. "Is that our brother?!" A grey kit with a brown tint on his paws bounced around his mother and the kit. "Yes Mudkit calm down you're going to hurt your him." The light grey queen licked the young kits head. "I can tell this one will be strong wouldn't you say Ravenpelt?" Crowstar turned her head to the warrior that woke her up. "Indeed when he hits that adventurous time he might turn me into Gator food." Ravenpelt said with a meow of laughter. "You should be proud Addertooth." "I am with enough hope and StarClan's guidance he might do something great," Addertooth who was a pure black tom cat said licking his newest son. "Being born during moon high." Crowstar thought to herself. "I have decided to name this kit Nightkit. May StarClan guide his paw steps into a well deserved life," Crowstar declared. Chapter 1 A young kit wonders outside the nursery, he seemed to be about 5 moons old. "Come one Icekit, Mosskit you better hurry up before Ashpaw loses the moss ball in the Briar patch again!" The kit called to his friends as they scurried after him. "I will not!" the apprentice named Ashpaw yelled out. "Whatever!" Nightkit called back. "Sorry kits but I have to take Ashpaw out for a swamp's mist patrol." Addertooth interupted. "Go see Mudpaw or Lilypaw I'm sure they're not doing anything." "Alright..." Nightkit said with a huff of disappointment. "Cmon Nightkit you don't want to be the pain in tail your sister always says you are?" Mosskit teased. " When moss grows south." Nightkit replied. "You two go on ahead I'll just stay here." Icekit said sitting down. "Aw does the gator heart medicine cat scare you?" Nightkit teased. "You look at Woodtail for a few toad croaks and not want to run!" Icekit pawed Nightkit on the top of his muzzle playfully. "Well we'll be back later Icekit." Mosskit said following Nightkit to the medicine cat den. Unlike most dens in the camp the Medicine cat's den had a moss curtain hanging down. "Lilypaw!" Nightkit said barging in only to butt heads with Woodtail. " Are you as blind as a bat kit!" the brown pelt she-cat said shaking her head. "Sorry Woodtail is Lilypaw here?" Nightkit asked. "I sent her to get more herbs from the swamp. So I'll give you a few toad croaks to leave or I'll pour toad vile on you." The she-cat threatened. Nightkit turned around but not before stealing a mouse from Woodtail's food pile and ran off. "HEY! Get back here you toad hearted kit!" Woodtail yelled poking her head out of the moss certain. "If you ever come back I'll be the one to turn you into gator food!" Nightkit looked back to see if Woodtail followed him. The young kit felt something crashing into the side of his neck kocking him off his paws. Almost like crashing into a tree stump. "Watch where you step young one. Ravenpelt warned. The warrior had his muzzle and eye scratch torn from past battles as well as a missing chunk of his ear. "Sorry Ravenpelt, the kit said getting back up. "Are you gunna tell me the story on how you lost your ear yet?!" the kit said his eyes gleaming. "Not yet kit," Ravenpelt said as he looked towards the medicine cat den. "You took another mouse from Woodtail? She must have been mad if she wasn't already." Ravenpelt said with a meow of amusement. "Yeah she seemed really angry," Nightkit confirmed. "I'll take the mouse back and calm her down so that she doesn't turn you into a patch of fur in the swamp the next time she sees you. You're six moons at moon high, so rest up you got a big Swamp's mist ahead of you." "I'll be fine Ravenpelt and thank you!" Nightkit said running to the nursery. :All is calm in the swamp Nightkit" Ravenpelt replied then took the mouse back to the medicine cat's den. Chapter 2 Time has passed and moonhigh came. Crowstar jumped up ontop of a platform above her den. "All cats old enough to swim the swamp's marsh gather here beneath the Onyx stone for a clan meeting!" she said. The onyx stone was a pure black stone made with that very material. Sharp Briar vines circled around it. Nightkit stood under the rock looking at his leader. Crowstar's grey coat glowed blue in the moonlight. "Nightkit is now six moons old and is ready for apprenticeship. Ravenpelt will you take on this apprentice and mold him into a warrior BriarClan can be proud of?" "I can Crowstar. With my teachings he will be a fine warrior." Ravenpelt sat next to Nightkit, the new apprentice feeling like his heart could burst with excitement. "Then by the will of StarClan I name this new apprentice Nightpaw. The crowd of cats chanted his name until Crowstar jumped down from the Onyx stone. She licked the top of the apprentice's head. "May Starclan guide your paw steps ." She whispered in his ear. Nightpaw bowed his head in respect for his leader. the Cats gathered around him congratulating him then one by one they left for their dens. "Congratulations Nightkit- I mean Nightpaw." Mosskit and Icekit ran up to their friend. "Thanks Mosskit, Icekit I can't wait til you guys join me." nightpaw replied. "When I become an apprentice I'll be a better one than you." Mosskit issued a friendly challenge. "Yeah when moss grows south." Nightpaw accepting the challenge with a meow of laughter. Crowstar curled up in her moss nest. "Poolstar told me that the kit of moonhigh will do battle with a warrior. Was StarClan wrong or will there be another kit born at moonhigh?" Morning came and the swamp was covered in a deep mist. Nightpaw shook the sleep from his eyes. Ravenpelt sat in front of the camp's entrance. "Nightpaw over here." He called. NIghtpaw walked over. "Morning Ravenpelt. "Today Addertooth and Ashpaw will be accompanying us." Addertooth nodded a hello to his son and Nightpaw did the same. The four cats squeezed through the briar that shielded the entrance to the camp and stopped near a muddy river a few fox lengths away. "This is where you will train sometimes with another apprentice or just you and me," Ravepelt explained. Nightpaw took the sight and smells. the funky smell of toads filled his nose he tried his best not gag in response. "You'll get used to that smell, trust me." Addertooth poked his son with his tail. Nightpaw just nodded. Ravenpelt started to pad down the trail. "Now We'll go over the borders. Try to keep up." Ravenpelt picked up speed Addertooth kept up with him but the two apprentices dragged behind a bit. They came to a stop near a large river. "This river runs from 4 Adder lengths from BriarClan to the main lake before the Great Oak," Addertooth said. "This lake is the border between us and MarshClan." "MarshClan.." Nighpaw repeated. "MarshClan's territory is littered with rivers and lakes, every step you take beyond this river would be like you're stepping in mud," Ravenpelt said shaking his front paw like he thought his paw was covered in the stuff. "Come on we still have the rest of the territory to go through," Addertooth said continuing up stream. the rest followed. They soon came to an open area littered with swamp puddles, reeds and briar thorns. A giant willow tree stood tall in the center of it all. "This is the great willow tree, where all clans gather once every month peacefully." Addertooth explained. Nightpaw gazed at the giant tree. "StarClan above, I bet you can see all the clan's territories from up there!" "True and the clans are able to see the tree." Ravenpelt cut in between Nightpaw and Ashpaw. "For countless moons the clans gathered at this very spot. We are stepping in the paw steps left by our ancestors. Feel honored apprentices, StarClan has guided us for many moons so that we may thrive in this land. We could have easily been wiped out by any number of dangers in the swamp." Ravenpelt continued. Nightpaw put his weight on one paw to leave his own paw print for the cats of the future to look at his mark. ;Addertooth held a laugh in his chest and turned around. "I believe that's all the borders." "But what of ReedClan and WillowClan?" Ashpaw mewed then looking at NIghtpaw. "Shouldn't Nightpaw know of their borders?" Addertooth flicked his tail as he continued to walk back to the briar patch. "The journey is too far from here, and toadsong is almost here." "Its the season of gator's swim, the waters are dangerous this time than any other season." Ravenpelt followed after Nightpaw's father, the apprentices followed 3 paw steps behind. Ravenpelt and Addertooth stopped for a moment. "Nightpaw do you smell something?" Ravenpelt said without turning his head. Nightpaw. sat down and sniffed the air. The scents of alligator, toads, and dead fish from past hunts swarmed him.. He shook his head as if he was trying to rid himself of it. "You haven't been outside the camp so the smells will overwhelm you, you'll get used to it." Ravenpelt said. "But there is something else." He paused then turning to Addertooth who only nodded as if he understood. "Nightpaw, go back to camp, and tell Crowstar that the scent of Marshclan lingers." Nightpaw opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Addertooth. "Every toad croak you waste just brings more trouble for us Nightpaw, now hurry!" Nightpaw nodded then took off. He soon heard the sound of cats fighting. "Thank Starclan I left when I did." Nightpaw thought to him. He was thinking oh what would happen to him if he stayed as he ran. Visions of being murdered by rival clan cats flooded his mind he only snapped out of it when he heard paw steps closely behind him. Nightpaw turned his head and yelped in surprise as another cat chasing after.him. :"Starclan help me!" Chapter 3 Nightpaw bolted over a fallen tree trunk to try and shake his pursuer but to no avail. the scent of the swamp still confused the apprentice which only made him panic even more. The sound of the Marshclan cat's footstep grew louder and closer. Nightpaw was taken off his feet when he was headbutted in the side, then his chaser was looming over him with one paw on his muzzle and another on his back legs. "You put up quite a chase apprentice." Out the corner of his eye Nightpaw could see a dark brown tabby cat with a slimmer physic. Nightpaw figured it was a she cat who wasn't that much older than that he was. "Get off or I'm going to--" "Going to what exactly? The way things are right now your no in any postilion to do anything." Nightpaw was cut off by the she cat. She lowered her head so her eyes could meet his. "I always wondered what my first kill would be like but now I wonder how I'm going to do it." Nightpaws eyes darted back and fourth he remembered that he ran directly onto a hunting path BriarClan uses the most often. "Before you do kill me might I have the name of my murderer?" Nightpaw questioned hoping to gain more time for the chance of BriarClan's hunting patrol would pad down his way. "Jaggedpaw." The she cat answered shortly and rather cold. "I--I'm Nightpaw." He responded. "I don't ca-" Jaggedpaw said before a gray streak crashed into her. The force making her skid into the mud. Nightpaw scrambled to his paws, his heart swelled with joy as Crowstar had his attacker pinned in the mud. Nightpaw then remember his mission as two more BrairClan cats showed up. "Crowstar, Addertooth, Ravenpelt, and Ashpaw are in a fight with MarshClan I think they're outnumbered now!" Crowstar gave Jaggedpaw a bite to the leg which made her yelp and run off the best she could. "Nightpaw go back to camp Rivertail, Pondrunner with me!" Nightpaw used the rest of his strength to run back to camp. Mosskit and Icekit ran up to him visibly worried. " I know Ravenplet and Addertooth where taking you around the borders, but you look like you went to StarClan and back" Mosskit said leaning on Nightpaw so he wouldn't fall. "Ma--MarshClan cats on BriarClan then a big fight took place." Nightpaw replied to his friend trying to get the words out the best he could. "And you clawed their fur off without getting hurt right?" Icekit asked. "No I didn't fight I was sent back get help." Nightpaw said laying down. "I was lucky enough to meet Crowstar, Pondrunner and Rivertail on the way back." Nightpaw neglected to tell his friends about the Marshclan apprentice that had chased and pinned him down. That all he did was stall for time, he dared not think what would happen to him if Crowstar and company did get to him in time or if they passed earlier. He pushed the thoughts out his mind as he made his way to the medicine cat's den. Lilypaw gave her brother some poppy seeds to calm him down and in a matter of toad croaks he fell asleep. When Nightpaw woke up Pondrunner was sitting a few paw steps way from him. "Thank StarClan you woke up Nightpaw, I have some cat to talk to. I tell you Woodtail isn't much for conversation." The pure white tom said. "How long was I asleep?" Nightpaw rose to his paws and shook off the moss that stuck to his fur. "Two cloud shifts, barely enough for a nap." Pondrunner replied. " The fight with MarsClan, is everyone ok?" Nightpaw continued. "By Starclan's will Addertooth, Ravenpelt and Ashpaw only have a few scratches none of which are deep. I wasn't so lucky though." Pondrunner got up revealing a bed of moss covered in a dark blue substance. "Woodtail says blue berries are good for wounds so I have to lay here for StarClan knows how long." He layed back down. "But blue berries don't grow in the swamp." Nightpaw pointed out. Pondrunner responded with a meow of laughter. "True, but medicine cats get there supplies from a twoleg den beyond GrassClan. They just leave them there in a line. Woodtail told me that a twoleg pokes at the ground with a long stick that rips up dirt and puts seeds in them." "Twolegs are weird." Nightpaw said walking out the den. "leaving already, I was starting to enjoy this little chat." Pondrunner mewed in a complaining tone. "Sorry Pondrunner I'll come back to check on you!" Nightpaw replied while he quickly padded over to Crowstar's den where the dark gray she-cat sat. Nightpaw opened his mouth to speak but Crowstar stood up making the apprentice's words lodge themselves in his throat. "Come Nightpaw, follow me to our training ground Ravenpelt is waiting for us." Crowstar padded over to an opening in the briar patch. It was small but still big enough for a full grown cat to squeeze through if they were careful. Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete) Category:Fanfictions (Fanon) Category:Content (Brudikai222)